


doctor's orders

by blamethenargless, enoughnerve



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Doctor/Patient, Fluff, Injury Recovery, Jason Grace is a Good Friend, M/M, Oblivious Percy Jackson, Romance, Snark, set a few days after blood of olympus, significant annoyance, will is southern and we had to put that in there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-07-04 18:38:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15847056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blamethenargless/pseuds/blamethenargless, https://archiveofourown.org/users/enoughnerve/pseuds/enoughnerve
Summary: Nico gets injured, and then seems to make a habit of it.orThe first thing Nico thought when he came to was: I’m going to kill Solace.The second thing Nico thought was: Did he actually carry me here? That’s...kinda adorable, actually.





	doctor's orders

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all! It's Rose aka blamethenargless here. enoughnerve and I started writing this fic in 2015, and picked it back up about a week ago (it's noted where we stop being in 2015 and start being in 2018). So, obviously, the 2015 stuff is... pretty bad. But it's beyond amusing. And the 2018 stuff (we think, at least) is well worth it!
> 
> As always, everything belongs to the author.
> 
> In the 2018 section, Will's parts are written by blamethenargless and Nico's parts are written by enoughnerve.

**WILL**

“Nico DiAngelo! Why in _Hades_ are you not in the infirmary?!”

Nico froze mid-step. “I _was,_ but then I saw this… um… really cool looking… bug, and I just _had_ to go check it out.”

“A bug, huh? Where’s this bug now?”

“It just… flew away!”

“Oh, of course. Well, now that the _bug_ is gone, maybe you’d better skip right along to the _infirmary_ , where you _belong_!”

Nico sighed. “Oh, come _on_ , Solace, it’s just a flesh wound. You’re making too big a deal out of it.”

“I am not! You got _stabbed_! You should be resting!”

“I already had ambrosia. And I’m a fast healer. Why can’t I _do_ something?!”

“Ok… fine. I’ll teach you how to shoot.” Will sighed. He’d never admit it, but he probably _was_ making too big of a deal about Nico getting hurt.

“You?! Teach me how to _shoot_?” Nico snorted.

“Shut up, deadhead. I’m better that _you_ , anyway.”

“Fine. But if I end up back in the infirmary-”

“If you end up back in the infirmary, it’s my fault, okay?”

“Peachy,” Nico muttered, rolling his eyes.

They walked to the archery practice field together. Will handed Nico a bow and a few arrows. “Right, so I’m going to show you how to shoot an arrow, and then you’re going to try. ‘Kay?”

“Fantastic,” Nico grumbled.

Will pulled back the bowstring and held it taut. As he released the arrow, someone called, “Will!” from behind the two, and Will spun around, forgetting about the arrow as it flew straight up into the air and then started to fall back towards him. His eyes widened and he stumbled backwards.

“Solace, look _out_!” Nico tackled Will to the ground.

And then there was nothing but Nico DiAngelo, who smelled like peppermint tea and cinnamon pancakes, which sounds terrible, but really it was just perfectly imperfect. And Will could feel Nico’s grip start to relax, which was almost definitely _not_ good, and not just because Will never wanted him to let go.

Will scrambled to his feet and looked down at Nico. _Oh gods_ . The arrow had hit his back, just below his right shoulder. WIll peeled off his leather jacket. There was blood staining his baggy black shirt, blood spreading across his back. He was pale, but he was always pale, and his mouth was open, but just slightly. “Oh my gods I’ve killed Nico DiAngelo!” _N-no, he’s still breathing- gods- Will, stop freaking out, he’s_ dying _, get your act together!_

Will wrung his hands. “Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods.” He took a deep breath and knelt next to Nico. His eyes were still open, but not fully, and his breathing was shallow. “Do you trust me?”

  
“Yes.” It came out in a whisper.

Will scooped him up and started running to the infirmary as fast as his legs could carry him. He barely registered the blood, or the jagged black hair that was falling onto his shoulder, or the fact that Nico DiAngelo’s cheek was pressed against Will’s. Well, he did register that last one.

Nico’s eyes started to close, and Will knew the loss of blood was getting to him.

They were almost to the infirmary when Nico fainted in Will’s arms.

 

**NICO**

The first thing Nico thought when he came to was, _I’m going to_ kill _Solace._

The second thing Nico thought was, _Did he actually carry me here? That’s...kinda adorable, actually._

He opened his eyes, groaning, and looked blearily around the room. Hospital beds swam into view and the smell of antiseptic filled the air. The infirmary. Of course. Solace practically _lived_ there.

Nico had a headache, and his shoulder still ached from where the arrow had hit him. He wasn’t sure how long it had been, but outside the window it was darker than it had been, and there weren’t any campers that he could see.

He sat up and looked around for Solace, but was disappointed to find that he wasn’t there. Then he was mad at himself for being disappointed, because- well, the guy had just shot an arrow through him. That wasn’t true, strictly speaking, because it was Nico who had shielded Solace, but if Solace had moved out of the way, Nico wouldn’t have had to.

And honestly, it was probably less risky for Nico to get an arrow shot through him than Solace. Nico didn’t actually know what the rules of dying were, in his case, but he was pretty sure he got _some_ kind of bargain. Even though most of the time Hades pretty much ignored him, it wasn’t a good look to let your kid die without at least fighting for him.

Nico looked at his wrist for the time, but his watch wasn’t there. Neither was his baggy black leather jacket sleeve. In its place was- a pink sweater. A _pink_ _sweater_.

“ _SOLACE!”_

“Gods, Nico, you’re waking up everyone from here to China.” Solace walked in, hands in his pockets, an innocent look on his face.

“What… in _Hades_ … am I wearing?” Nico asked calmly.

“Oh… yeah… um, those are mine. They’re probably a little… big…” Solace trailed off, taking a few steps backward at Nico’s scowl.

“Why am I wearing _your clothes_ , precisely?”

“Well, I was going to get some of yours, but there is a…”

“Security system?”

“I was going to say death trap, but that works too. There is a… “security system” outside your cabin door. May I ask _why_ , exactly, there is a… “security system”... outside your cabin door?”

Nico glared at Solace and crossed his arms over his chest. “I like to send my dad some new souls every now and then. As a present.”

“How… nice.”

Nico pulled off the repulsive sweater, balled it up, and threw it at Solace as hard as he could. He wasn’t wearing a shirt underneath, thank gods. He wasn’t sure he could handle any more pink. The sweater missed. But Solace ducked anyway. He stared at Nico.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Um…” Solace blushed bright red. It was cute. _Dammit, Nico, control yourself._ “I have to check your wound. You know, see if it’s healing like it should be.”

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention- _you shot an arrow through me_.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Solace walked over to Nico’s bed. “Turn around.”

Nico did, rolling his eyes. Solace lightly brushed Nico’s back, and Nico resisted the temptation to punch him. Or kiss him. Either would work.

“Gods, Solace, get on with it, will you?”

“Right. Sorry.”

Nico knew he was blushing and he hated himself for it. _Dammit, Nico, control yourself._ He chewed his lip and tried not to think about Solace. Which was getting harder by the second.

**(2018 writing commences)**

“Gah!”

“What?”

“You just pulled an _arrow_ out of my _back_ ,” Nico snarled, turning to face Will.

“You told me to get on with it.”

“Yeah, well, you could’ve given me more warning.”

“Why? Did something… _distract_ you?” Will grinned conspiratorially.

Nico gulped. “Um?” Yes. Absolutely, positively, and in all other ways, yes. “No?”

Will cocked his eyebrow and Nico tried not to think about the second word of that sentence. Or the first. Except that was hard because _Will_ was right _there_. And making it impossible not to think about him.

“Okay, fine, you distracted me.”

“Distracted you how?”

“I can’t answer that question,” Nico grumbled.

“Why?”

“Because…” _If I start to I’ll end up ruining my carefully developed persona and reputation and telling you the truth,_ he thought. “Because I can’t.”

“Oh, wow, how descriptive,” said Will.

“I’m sorry, I’m a child of Hades. We’re known for being…”

“Pains in the ass?”

“I was going to say mysterious, but I guess that works too.”

Will laughed. “Nico, you’re not mysterious.”

“Lies and deciet.”

“No, I mean, I guess you can come across as, y’know, tough and aloof sometimes, but you’re a big softie on the inside.”

“And how would you know?”

“Because you blush thirty times a second?”

“That’s… that’s kind of only around you.”

Will fell silent

And… oh gods. Eye contact. So much eye contact… and blushing… and _Will fucking Solace._

“Will…” Nico started.

“Yeah?”

“I’m… going to kiss you now.”

 

**WILL**

“Oh.”

Nico’s face fell. His chin dropped to his chest, and the color seeped out of his cheeks. “Sorry,” he whispered.

Will shook his head. “No! No, no no no. Not a bad idea. Good idea, actually. I just- I wasn’t expecting that. At all. And not from you.”

Nico raised his eyes. “You’re serious?”

Will nodded. “More serious than Demeter is about cereal.”

Nico shifted on the small infirmary cot, and Will found himself very drawn to the movement of Nico’s bare arms. And bare chest. His hands, Will noticed, were lithe and veiny.

“That’s good,” Nico said. “Very good.”

“Mhmm.”

“Will?”

Will snapped his focus back onto Nico’s face. The other boys’ eyes were a deep brown, and the sunlight streaming in through the window cast him like a black and white photograph. His almost-sickly skin from his time in Hades, his unkempt black hair, and those eyes. Will focused intensely on those eyes. Better there than anywhere else so easily exposed by Nico’s lack of the oh-so-offensive pink sweater covering his upper body.

“I really am going to ki-”

But Nico never finished his words. Will threw himself forwards with a great enough amount of force to knock Nico back down into his bed, bracing his hands on either side of his head. The boy flinched underneath him, though, and Will swore softly. “Your wound. Gods, Nico, I’m so sorry. I totally forgot. I’m such an idiot.” He picked himself up off the cot and pushed himself to standing.

Nico tried a smile, but succeeded at a grimace. “It’s ok. Just- I can’t sit up now, so come here.”

Will sat down on the edge of the cot. He placed a hand tenatively over Nico’s, and flushed with happiness when their fingers tangled together.

“I meant come all the way over here, dumbass.”

Eagerly, Will brushed back Nico’s hair with his other hand, and leaned down.

Nico’s lips were cold, which was unsurprising. Chapped, too, and they moved a bit roughly against his own. Nico’s other hand pressed gently on the back of Will’s head, and Will could feel his heart beating into Nico’s bare chest. Lights danced on the backs of his eyelids. Nico tasted like cinnamon pancakes and peppermint tea.

Will felt a pressure on his chest, and looked down to see Nico’s hand pushing him back.

“Everything alright?” Will asked, catching Nico’s strange look as the boy tried to push himself back up to a sitting position with minimal pain.

 

**NICO**

“No. I mean, yes, everything’s fine. I mean, no, it’s not. I mean- we’re in the infirmary? I know this is, like, a private room, but out there it’s full of sick people and everyone can probably still hear everything, and, yes, this is lovely but probably the wrong time?”

“Oh, shit,” Will mumbled sheepishly, standing up and smoothing out his shirt. “Yeah, you’re- I’m sorry.”

“No, I was the one who asked to kiss you. I should be sorry.”

“Yeah, but- I’m supposed to be looking after you, and instead we’re… making out on a hospital bed? Gods, Nico, I shouldn’t have…”

“No!” Nico realized how loud he was being and toned it down. “No, you definitely should have. You’re… I mean, you’re… you can kiss me anytime, just, not right now?”

“I should go… check on the other patients.”

“Okay, but… you’ll be back, right?” Nico propped himself up on his elbows, wincing.

“Yes? I mean, yes, I would like to be, but I should… probably have someone else look after you.” He ran a hand through his hair.

“Why?”

“I shouldn’t be involved… with a patient… romantically?”

“Oh. You shouldn’t be? I mean, you shouldn’t be. Obviously. Right. Makes sense. I mean, that’s fine, that’s cool. Do what you gotta do. I’ll just… stay here… since I’m immobile…” Nico trailed off, realizing that he was rambling. Gods, none of his crushes seemed to work out, did they? Percy… what a straight asshole. And now this. He had nearly tuned out and almost didn’t hear Will’s next words.

“But after you’re better, which should be soon… I’m free Friday?”

“Oh! Right, because I won’t be your patient forever. Although I’ll probably be back a lot… I get hurt a lot… but yes, I’m free Friday. Cool. Sounds good.”

“Alright. Cool. See you then.” Will headed out, shutting the door behind him. Nico fell back on the bed and closed his eyes.

“Dad… please protect me from Will Solace. No, I take it back, protect me from becoming a bumbling _mess_ in his presence and blushing every time I hear his fucking _name_ . _Gods._ ”

Nico realized he’d been speaking aloud about the same time that Will reopened the door, smiling like the godsdamned sun. Because of course he was.

“Nico?”

“Yeah?”

“Thin walls, remember?” He winked and closed the door.

 

**WILL**

Will closed the door behind him and sank down to the floor with a sigh. He ran a hand through his gold hair and rested his chin in his palm. _Thin walls_ , he though. _Thin walls! Could you be any more horribly awkward, Solace? And also. Thin walls. All the other patients will have heard that. Will have heard everything. Gods, you’re stupid_.

And then he smiled. Because, dammit, he had just kissed Nico DiAngelo. And he was going to kiss him again. And despite himself, Will laughed in happiness.

He pushed himself up to standing. Hospital duties. He was a doctor. He had doctor things to do. He walked down the hall, looking for any other closed doors. After a lap, he saw that there was currently only one other closed door, behind which a patient was held. And of course that closed door was right next to Nico’s. So yes. Someone overheard.

He pushed open the door, cheeks flushed with shame, bandages and antiseptic tucked under one arm. “Doctor’s here to clean out your slash wound…” Will trailed off, checking the chart on the door. “Shit. Can’t read your name. The other kids have terrible handwriting. It’s a doctor/Apollo thing, I guess,” he said with a sheepish smile.

Then he looked up. In bed across from him sat Jason Grace. Will took a step back in surprise.

“Jason! Wow. Uh, what are you doing here?” He didn’t really know the other blond well, but Will knew of his work defeating Gaia, and was a little starstruck.

“Hey. I’m here ‘cause Piper and I decided to stay for a little, post-war, and I was swordfighting with Percy, and he managed to land a blow. And, well, you know how we are. We weren’t really playing it too safe. I think we were both kinda in a strange state after everything,” Jason said. “So I’m here now. Percy keeps bringing me food. It’s nice. He’s a good friend. And, sorry, what’s your name?”

“I’m Will. Will Solace.”

Jason’s eyes widened comically behind his wire-rimmed glasses. “Oh, my gods. You’re kidding. Not _the_ Will Solace?”  
Will shrugged. “I didn’t know I had that much of a reputation. But, yeah.”

“I’ve heard lots about you. _Lots_ ,” he said conspiratorially. “I know that you’re a hot commodity. As I could tell from next door.”

Will coughed. “Shit. Uh, yeah, just don’t tell people, ok? I don’t need anyone judging Nico. I don’t really care what they say about me, though. I can take it. But Nico doesn’t deserve that judgement.”

Jason’s face split into a grin. “That was Nico? Oh, my gods. I couldn’t hear who it was.”

“Dammit. Sorry. Forget you heard anything. He’s not gay or anything. Damn.”

Jason sat up a bit more in his bed. “No, no problem. Actually, I was the first person he came out to. Or,” he corrected, at Will’s confused look, “Eros kinda outed him to me. But he trusts me now. To tell me about his crushes. And especially his crush on you, Will Solace.”

Will felt his ears burning feverishly. “Really?” His cheeks were strained from smiling so wide, and he could feel his heart swelling in his chest.

“Yes, really. But, Will. If you do anything to hurt him…” Jason reached into his pocket and procured a small gold coin. He gave it a flip, and it expanded into a glimmering sword. “I won’t hesitate!” He gave a cheery grin and brandished the sword.

Will stumbled back away from the sword. “Message received. Loud and clear.”

Jason nodded. “Good.” He put the sword away and leaned back into his pillows. “Now, my arm. It stings like Hades when you do the medicine thing, so forgive me if I scream.” He gave Will a small smile and rolled up his sleeve.

 

**NICO**

Nico was fighting a Chimera when somebody started knocking on his skull. Or, at least, that’s what it sounded like. He tried to ignore it, but whoever it was persisted until he was out of his dream enough to have realized that whoever it was was not knocking on his skull, but on the door of his room, with a little too much zeal. He rolled over, pressing his face against his cot to try to muffle the sound.

“Shh… go ‘way.”

“Nico, let me in.”

“No… stop. Sleep,” he mumbled into his mattress.

“Nico, I need to _talk_ to you.”

Nico wanted to sleep, but it could be Will out there. And if it were Will… he yawned and opened his eyes, albeit reluctantly. “I’m immobile. Come in yourself.”

The door opened to reveal Jason Grace. “Do you know how rude it is to just let yourself in to someone’s room?”

Nico was disappointed, but tried not to show it. “Do you know how rude it is to wake someone up?”

“I brought you dinner.” He came and sat at the foot of Nico’s bed, putting the food on the bedside table.

“Oh. Thanks. Wait, dinner? What _time_ is it?”

“It’s 8:30.”

“I was asleep for… over an entire _day_?” Nico asked.

“No, you were asleep for two hours. Dinner just ended.”

“Oh. Well, I probably could’ve been asleep for an entire day, if you hadn’t interrupted me… I was having a really good dream.”

“Yeah, I bet.” Jason smirked.

“I was fighting a Chimera.”

“Oh, is _that_ what the kids call it these days?”

“What? What are you talking about?” Nico looked at Jason, confused, then noticed the bandage on his arm. “Wait, what happened to your arm?”

“Oh, Percy cut me sword fighting.”

“Oh. ‘Course he did.”

“Yeah. That’s why I was in the room next to you.” He smiled, like Nico should get something from that.

“Cool, I guess?” Nico ran a hand through his hair, still a little bewildered. Then he got it. “Wait… when did Percy cut you?”

“Oh, y’know. A few hours ago.”

“So… you’ve been in that room since then?”

“Yeah, pretty much.” Jason was struggling to contain his laughter by now.

 _Thin walls._ “Shit.”

“What?”  
“So did you hear…”

“Hear what?” He looked perfectly innocent. For about a second. And then he cracked up. “Oh, you mean you playing doctor with Will Solace?”

“Shit. Shit, shit, shit.”

“So.” He was mostly in control of himself by now. Which was lovely for him, because Nico definitely was not.

“So…”

“So, how was it?”

Nico hit himself in the forehead with the palm of his hand. “Get out of my room.”

“Okay. I have to go talk to Percy, anyway…”

“No! Don’t tell him. _Anything_.”

“Why, you don’t think he deserves to know?”

“No! If he knows, he’ll tell the entire camp.” Jason contemplated that, then shrugged his shoulders as if to say _okay, fair._ “It’s nobody’s business besides mine.”

“...and Will Solace’s.”

“Okay, fine, him too.”

“Alright, I won’t tell Percy.” Jason nodded decidedly.

“ _Thank_ you.”

“I just wanted to say, I’m happy for you. You’ve wanted this for a while now.”

Nico blinked, surprised by Jason’s sincerity. “Oh… thanks.”

“Okay, I’m out.” He started to walk away, then turned. “Oh! I almost forgot.”

“What?”

He reached into his pocket and chucked a condom at Nico.“Be safe. We don’t want any little goth blond kids walking around the camp.” Jason left, laughing at his own joke and closing the door behind him, the condom bouncing off of his back after Nico threw it back at him.

“That’s not how human anatomy… whatever.” Nico rolled his eyes and pulled his pillow over his head, ready to go back to sleep.

 

**WILL**

Will yawned as he sat up in bed, the sun streaming through the window and hitting him across the face. The cabin was stirring; the Apollo kids were all morning people, to no one’s surprise.

He climbed down from his top bunk and pulled clothes from his drawer, trudging into the bathroom. Brushing his teeth and undressing quickly, he stepped into the shower and let the warm steam wash over him, waking him quickly.

Yesterday wasn’t a dream, was it? He really did kiss Nico DiAngleo? _Well_ , Will supposed, _I’ll just have to go and visit him again today to make sure_.

He stepped out of the shower and got dressed, pulling a Camp Half-Blood shirt over his head, soft from wear. The rest of the cabin was awake and moving by now, and he greeted them all with smiles and ‘good morning’s before opening the door and walking outside.

It was a surprisingly cool morning. The air was crisp and the sky a bright blue. Grass brushed his ankles as he walked to the dining pavillion. Not many people were outside, but that was to be expected. Will always moved a bit quicker, was always up a bit earlier. He had people other than himself to feed.

Breakfast was French toast sticks, and he placed the thickest one into the flames before shoving three in his mouth and gathering armfuls of cereal and milk. It was a trecherous journey to the infirmary, with many near spills, but he made it there with minimal damage.

He went to Jason’s room first. “Knock knock,” he said as he kicked open the door. “I brought you cereal. It’s your last morning here, right? You should be all functional tomorrow.”

“Indeed,” Jason said, taking the box of Raisin Bran with his uninjured arm. He shook his head at Will’s offer of milk. “No, thanks. I eat it dry.”

“Once you’re done, just place your stuff outside and take your last nap here. I’ll come get you moving in an hour and a half.”

“Got it. Thank you Will, for everything.” Jason gave him a slight wink, and Will shook his head, embarrased, as he walked out.

He stood outside Nico’s door with one arm loaded up with cereal and milk, and the other hand hovering over the door. Should he wake him up? He was positive Nico would still be asleep. But breakfast was important, and he didn’t want Nico to be tired and depriving himself of nutrients. Steeling himself, he opened the door and walked in.

Nico stood in the corner in his boxers. A pair of pants was hanging from his fingers.

Will cleared his throat, ignoring the flush building at the base of his neck. “I brought you breakfast.”

“Fuck!” And with a light gust of air and a faint pop, Nico was gone.

A shout was heard from outside. Will sighed. “Shadowtraveling. While injured. What an idiot.” He smiled softly as he put down the cereal and walked purposefully outside to where Nico lay, passed out in the field.

 

**NICO**

Nico woke up to way too much light. Not artificial light, either. Sunlight. Streaming in from the windows. And the entire room was decorated in warm orange and yellow. Lots of patchwork quilts and woven rugs. The bed that he was in had pale blue sheets and a yellow comforter. So… definitely not the infirmary.

“Where am I?” Nico sat up, wincing a little. He looked around. The only other kid in the room was a kid named Carter from his swordfighting class. But he was in Apollo.

“Carter… what’s going on?”

“You’re in Cabin Seven. Apollo.”

“Why?”

“You passed out… after shadow traveling from the infirmary to… a patch of grass outside the infirmary. Will brought you here. He figured you’re basically ready to leave the infirmary anyway, and besides… you’re pretty safe here. Medically, I mean.”

“Okay, but… why couldn’t I just go back to Hades?”

Carter cleared his throat. “Uh… Will doesn’t exactly… trust you alone.”

“That’s such bullshit!” Nico got out of bed and immediately tripped over a rug and hit his head on a wardrobe. “Ow. Okay, so maybe he has a point. But I’m totally not allowed to be here.”

“You think Will cares about rules?”

“Um… yes, actually.”

“Alright, he usually does. But not when somebody could get hurt. Anyway. If anybody sees you… well, let’s just hope nobody sees you.”

“Wow. Okay.”

“Yeah. I’m just watching you until Will gets back from checking on Jason.”

“Lovely, you’re my babysitter.”

“I guess that’s a pretty good way to put it.”

The door opened just then to reveal Will. “Oh, you’re up! You look… great.”

Nico looked down at himself. Skinny jeans? And was that… a crop top?  
Carter coughed. “Some of the girls might have had a little too much fun getting you dressed. Nice abs, though.”

Nico tore off the shirt.

“You’ve gotta stop tearing your clothes off like that, Nico,” Will said seriously.

“Why?”

“Distracts me.” He looked Nico in the eye, making him blush.

“Ohhkay. I’m gonna… go.” Without another word, Carter made a hasty departure.

 

**WILL**

Nico sighed. “I don’t think I can physically move right now. Can you grab a sweatshirt or something from your drawer that I could wear? I’m pretty sure my pale, scrawny chest is blinding you in all this light. How do you people live like this?”

Will answered with his back to Nico, having bent over to rummage through his dresser, and he couldn’t see Nico’s blush deepen at his answer. “Like I said. Your not wearing a shirt distracts me, and not in a bad way. Not at all. So, sure, I’ll give you a sweatshirt, but-” He stopped and straightened up, flicking his gaze up and down Nico one more time before passing over a light blue 4H sweatshirt. “Only because it’s cute to see my boyfriend in my clothes.”  
Nico caught the sweatshirt in one hand and pulled it over his head, the fabric muffling the tremor in his voice. “Boyfriend?”  
“If you want that, darlin’.”

Nico laughed, and puffed the hood out behind him. “Yeah, sunshine, I think I would. And ‘darlin’’? Really? I know you’re Texan, but do you have to be _that_ Texan? Your people don’t really love ours, do they?”  
“Hey, you’re the one from the 1930s.”

Nico shrugged. “You’re right. So, boyfriend, _tesoro mio_ , would you help me down from here? I need to kiss you. Properly.”  
“I’ll do you one better. _Tesoro mio_. Wait, what’s that even mean?” Will started to climb up to his top bunk bed.

Nico laughed. The Italian sounded terrible in Will’s American accent, complete with a slight southern twang. Still, it was beyond adorable. “My treasure,” he said, and pulled Will on top of him. “ _Tesoro mio_.”

Will kissed him. This time, the kiss was sunlight and spun sugar, and Will could feel Nico’s fingers ghosting Will’s forearms as he held himself up in a half-plank. His hair fell into his own eyes, and when he pulled back and opened his eyes, he could see it mixing with Nico’s, like a pool of sunlight dipped in ink. “You’re really cute.”

Nico scoffed, and started to sit upright. Will pushed himself off, straddling Nico’s lap. “Not really,” the black haired boy said.

“Yes really.” Will pecked him quickly.

“You really are made of sunshine, aren’t you.” Nico had clearly meant it as a jab, but there was no venom in his voice.

“And you’re just five feet and two inches of angst and despair, darlin’.”

Nico shoved a hand into Will’s chest. “Fuck off.”

“You’re so little, Nico! Watch your mouth.”  
“I’m seventeen in two days, asshole,” Nico said, bracing both hands on Will’s shoulders.

“Respect your elders. Doctor’s orders.”

“Doctor’s orders _this_ , sunshine.” Nico pushed Will backwards and crawled atop him, his knees planted on either side of Will’s hips. Will smiled, and inside, he was exploding with joy. Even after a day and a half in the infirm, Nico still smelled like cinammon and mint, and had a trace of vanilla on him from Will’s sweatshirt. _Gods_. Nico in Will’s sweatshirt. His boyfriend in his clothes.

“I’m damn lucky, DiAngelo,” he said, and wrapped his arms around Nico to pull him down into a kiss.

 

**NICO**

There was something to be said for dating someone who was always happy. Not that Nico would ever say it to his face, but Will could always be counted on to make Nico smile, regardless of how badly his day had been going. Plus, his sweatshirts were comfy. That was sort of a problem, though, seeing as campers had started to notice Nico’s outerwear makeover. It wasn’t that Nico liked the colors- okay, he liked the colors- but Will’s clothes were big on him, and warm, and smelled like vanilla and cloves. It was like walking around being hugged.

“Dude. Why do you keep wearing pastels?” Percy drummed his fingers on the top of the Hades table, keeping an eye out for Harpies.

“Oh, I. Um. I thought it was… time for a change?”

“...I guess it looks good. And why’s Solace wearing black now? Did you guys coordinate that or something?”

Jason choked on his water trying to keep a straight face. “Sorry, I’m fine, carry on. Yeah, did you guys like, _coordinate_ that?”  
“No, we didn’t,” Nico replied, just as Will chimed in with “absolutely.”

“Oh…” Nico said. “I mean… yes?”

Will grinned. “I wanted him to look a little more… summery.”

“And I wanted _him_ to look a little more…”

“Gloomy?” Will supplied.

“I was going to say realistic.”

“Oh. Well, sure, that makes sense, I guess,” Percy said, a little bemused. “Well, I’m out. I have to go visit Blackjack.” He got up and walked away. Annabeth stayed behind a second.

“Hey, Nico, I just wanted to say I think you guys are really cute together.”

“Wait, how did you know-”

“C’mon, Nico. Athena.”

“Also, you guys are literally wearing each other’s clothes,” Jason said through a mouthful of fries.

“Yeah, but… Percy didn’t figure it out.”

“Percy isn’t a daughter of Athena,” Annabeth said, laughing.

“He’s also totally oblivious,” Will added.

“Yeah, that’s… fair.”

“Anyway. I should go. Naïve boyfriends, am I right?”

“For sure,” said Nico, waving as she walked away.

“Wait a second, I’m not naïve.”

“Will, your favorite superhero is the Easter Bunny.”

“I just admire what he does for all those kids!”

 

**WILL**

Will decided that black was his new favorite color. He could barely fit into Nico’s sweatshirts, since the other boy was a near half-foot shorter than him, but he would be damned if he didn’t try.

Jason left camp soon, with a gushing Piper (“You guys are really cute, and I’m so sorry about the whole Eros situation, I promise not all children of Aphrodite are like that”) in tow. Percy, bless his heart, stayed confused for about a week after, and only really understood that Will and Nico were dating when Nico stood on his tiptoes to kiss Will, his hands stuck sheepishly in his pockets. Percy, watching from a few feet away with Annabeth, literally applauded. And then came over and threatened Will with Riptide.

“You know,” Will said one afternoon, lying with Nico in the strawberry fields. A cloud was drifting across the sun, casting the world in a blue-gray haze. “You’re really lucky to have the people you do. I mean, you went through a lot. You deserve people like Jason and Percy and Annabeth and the rest. They all love you so much. Hell, most of them have threatened to castrate me if I lay a hand on you wrong. Which you know I’d never do, darlin’. But y’all just have a really great bond. It’s so nice to see.”

  
“You’re right,” Nico replied. “They’re wonderful. But just wait until you meet Reyna. She’s coming over in a little, I think. And it’s at the same time the Hunters are visiting. She denies that it’s because she wants to see Thalia, of course, whenever we Iris Message. But Will,” and here he laughed, “she’s gonna terrify you. She’s- Well, I don’t want to call her my older sister. Because I had Bianca. And I could never forget her. Plus, Hazel might technically be older than me. It’s all pretty damn confusing. But she really is like a family figure. Even more than anyone else. She might literally cut off your finger if you offend her somehow.”  
“Should I be scared?” Will murmured. He readjusted his position so that his head rested on Nico’s stomach, and felt the other boy thread his fingers through Will’s golden hair.

“No. You won’t offend her. You Southern types are always nice. Also, you. You’re nice. You really are.”

“Thanks, darlin’. You’re nice too, you know that?”  
Nico sat up abruptly, pushing Will of off him. “Take it back!”

Will laughed, pushing himself to standing and extending a hand to his boyfriend. As he pulled Nico up, he said, “You’re literally wearing my oversized yellow sweatshirt. You’re a closet softie, and you know it.”  
Nico sighed, and reached up to peck Will on the cheek. “Yeah. Guess I am. But you better not tell anyone. I have a Stygian Iron sword and I’m not afraid to use it.”  
Suddenly, an idea formed in Will’s mind. He let go of Nico’s hand and hardened his gaze. “I’ll race you to the Dining Pavillion. If I beat you, I get to announce to everyone what a softie you are. If you win… I dunno, you decide the prize.”

“Gods, Will, you really are my significant annoyance. Hmm. If I win, you’re not allowed to smile for an entire 24 hours.”

“Nico, how would you even regulate that?”  
The shorter boy smiled mysteriously. “I have my ways, William. Now. On your mark, get set, go!”

Will set off running. The wind was blowing through his hair, and he felt the strawberry plants tickling at his bare feet. He felt electric.

The Dining Pavillion in sight now, he ventured a glance to his left. No Nico in sight. _He must have fallen behind, with his shorter legs and skinny jeans_ , Will thought with a smile.

The afternoon light filtered through the clouds and streamed across Will’s face. The world smelled like strawberries and early September breeze. He closed his eyes and let out a happy whoop as he picked up the pace in the home stretch.

Suddenly, he collided with something small, hard, and warm. His eyes shot open, his world flipped upside down. The last thing Will saw before he blacked out was Nico emerging from the shadows of a tall oak tree, slamming into him, and Will’s own foot caught under a root, his ankle twisted at a highly unnatural angle.

 

**NICO**

“Shit, I killed my boyfriend.” Okay, probably not. Will did look pretty bad, though. He was unconscious, and Nico didn’t even want to look at his ankle. Gods, Will was supposed to be the one who fixed things like this. Honestly, it probably would have been better if Will _had_ died- Nico could’ve dealt with that.

“Ugh… Nico?”

“Oh, thank the Gods. You’re up. Now, what the fuck am I supposed to do about your _foot_?”

“Well, definitely don’t let me walk on it,” Will said, sitting up and wincing as his foot shifted.

“I wasn’t planning on it.”

“Get me to the infirmary. We can go from there.”

“Oh, lovely.” Nico rolled his eyes. “How am I supposed to go about doing that?”

“I don’t know, carry me? Who knows how many times I’ve done it for you…”

“That’s different. You’re the one who’s always talking about how tiny I am.”

“Okay, yeah, that’s true. Just… I don’t know, do your best.”

“Do my _best_? Will, I’m tiny.”

“Any better ideas?”

“I could shadow travel…”

Will, despite his injury, really tried to stand to prevent Nico from trying that. “You’d pass out. _Not_ an option.”

“Okay, fine, I’ll carry you. But I’m small. And weak.”

“So you willingly admit it.”

Yeah, it was hard to carry somebody a half foot taller than you, but Nico had carried corpses before. Not that Will was a corpse, but… basically deadweight. And Nico wasn’t weak. He’d spent enough time with swords… and monsters… and, yeah, dead bodies, that he was pretty strong. They were at the infirmary before the weight had made him stop enjoying the feeling of Will’s head pressed against his shoulder.

“Will, nobody’s here.”

“It’s fine. Just go in.”

“Okay.” Nico closed the door behind them and helped Will onto a cot. “What now?”

“I’ll tell you what to do, you just have to make sure you follow my directions.”

“Okay.” He found everything Will told him to and then wrapped his ankle in a bandage.

“It’s probably just a bad sprain, but it hurts like hell. Can you get me some ambrosia? It’s on that shelf.”

“Yeah, sure. You’re going to be okay, though, right?”

“Gods, yeah, I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, then.” Nico turned to face Will and put his hands on his hips defiantly with a grin. “I won.”

“What? You cheated!”

“You never said no shadow traveling.”

“I didn’t know I had to. I would have won if you’d played fair. As it was, you could’ve killed me.”

Nico shrugged. “Yeah, but I didn’t. So I won. You’re not allowed to smile for twenty-four hours.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem, I’m in pain.”

“Wait, you are? Still? Can I help?” Nico’s voice rose in pitch. He was being nonchalant about the whole thing, but he hated seeing Will hurt.

“Well, yeah, but you can’t just… make a sprained ankle stop hurting. That’s not how it works. It has to heal.”

“Okay, well, anything you need… I’ll take care of you. I’ll always… I mean, I- Gods, Will, I’m not good at sappy stuff.” He hated the words as soon as they left his mouth. The blood rushed to his cheeks. But Will seemed to like it, he was beaming.

“I’ll take care of you too. Even if you’re the absolute worst at sappy stuff.”

“Even if you’re the best.”

 

**NICO AND WILL**

And take care of him he did.

  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments/Kudos always appreciated!


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